Dump door mechanism for a railway car



Jan. 17, 1956 G. B. DOREY DUMP DOOR MECHANISM FOR A RAILWAY CAR FiledSept. 24. 1952 7 Sheets-Sheet l IN V EN TOR. ,5- DO/Pfl,

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W W ww 51 mm kw m Q NNT Jan. 17, 1956 Filed S ept. 24. 1952 Jan. 17,1956 s. B. DOREY DUMP DOOR MECHANISM FOR A RAILWAY CAR Filed Sept. 24,1952 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VEN TOR.

Jan. 17, 1956 DQREY 2,730,965

DUMP DOOR MECHANISM FOR A RAILWAY CAR Filed Sept. 24, 1952 7Sheets-Sheet 4 IN V EN TOR.

Jan. 17, 1956 G. B. DOREY DUMP DOOR MECHANISM FOR A RAILWAY CAR FiledSept. 24. 1952 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN V EN TOR. 660596 5 flongg, BY

Jan. 17, 1956 G. B.'DOREY 2,730,965

DUMP DOOR MECHANISM FOR A RAILWAY CAR Filed Sept. 24. 1952 7Sheets-Sheet 6 3 Q QGW) Q Q\ 3 Li!) flilili Q Him RQ lllil IN V EN TOR.

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DUMP DOOR MECHANISM FOR A RAILWAY CAR Filed Sept. 24. 1952 7Sheets-Sheet 7 Q BY United States Patent DUMP noon MECHANISM FOR ARAILWAY CAR George B. Dorey, Westmount, Quebec, Canada, assignor toEnterprise Railway Equipment Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation ofIllinois Application September 24, 1952, Serial No. 311,285

14 Claims. (Cl. 105-289) The invention relates to an improved dump doormechanism for a railway car and is more particularly for use inconnection with a pivoted door which is movable from an upwardlyinclined closed position to a downwardly inclined opened position.

The objects of the invention, among others, are: To provide a mechanismsuitable for use in connection with V-shaped hoppers having the doorspivotally mounted at a location adjacent the apex of each hopper whichwill allow the placement of the mechanisms at the ends of the doors andout of the hopper discharge areas; to provide for operating in unisonthe facing inner doors of a pair of V-shaped hoppers having alignedlongitudinally extending V-shaped hoppers on opposite sides of thecenter sill; to provide for operating the inner facing doors of V-shaped hoppers from a shaft located between the vertical webs of thecenter sill; and, more specifically, to provide an arm pivotally mountedat one end on the car structure and having at the opposite end a windingconnection with an intermediate connection to the door.

The invention further resides in certain details of constructionassociated with the special hopper construction identified with themechanismand in the details of the latter.

For further comprehension of the invention reference may be had to theaccompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is a side elevational view of a portion of a car illustratingso much of the structure as is necessary to show one hopperincorporating the improved operating mechanism; I

Figures 2A and 2B, taken together with Figure 2A to the left of Figure2B, are vertical cross-sectional views taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1,showing the lower portion of the hoppers with one of the side doors andthe facing center opening doors in closed position and with the other ofthe side opening doors in open position;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken through a portion of thehopper on line 3-3 of Figure 1 and having a portion of the flooringbroken away to illustrate the fulcrum bracket for supporting theoperating arms;

Figure 4 is a fractional sectional view taken through the bafile plateadjacent the supporting fulcrum bracket on line 4-4 of Figure 2B;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view taken adjacent the end of thehopper on line 5-5 of Figure l; t

Figure 6 is a detached plan view of one of the doors as viewed from theunderside thereof;

Figure 7 is an end elevational view of the door shown in Figure 6 asviewed from right to left;

Figure 8 is a side elevational view of one of the operating armassemblies;

Figure 9 is a plan view of the structure shown in Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a detached plan view of one of the bracket strap membersemployed in connection with an operating arm assembly; i a

Figure 11 is a side elevational View of the bracket strap shown inFigure 10; t l

2,730,965 Patented Jan. 17, 1956 Figure 12 is a view, similar to Figure2B, showing a modified form of operating assembly.

In said drawings the car body structure is shown as including alongitudinally extending center sill 10 formed of a pair of Z-shapedbeam members each including a vertical web 11, an inwardly directedupper flange 12 and an outwardly directed lower marginal flange 13.

Spaced outwardly from the center sill 10 on each side thereof are thecar side walls 14-14 each including a vertically extending wall plate 15and a lower reinforcing angle member 16. Extending transversely betweenthe side walls 14-14 are longitudinally sloping floor plates 17-17 whichslope towards each other and extend downwardly on each side of thecenter sill 10 to meet with outer and inner sloping side walls asindicated at 18 and 19 to form therewith a four-sided upper hopperstructure.

The outer walls 18 slope downwardly from the car side walls 14 and attheir lower margins are reinforced by angle members 18 which arepreferably disposed with a horizontally extending flange 20 in alignmentwith the lower flange 13 of the center sill 10. The inner side Walls 19extend from the upper portion of the center sill 10 to the outer marginsof the lower center sill flanges 13 and are welded thereto as at 21. Asurmounting ridge 21a of inverted V-shape caps the center sill 10 andserves to divide the car into two separate longitudinally extendingself-discharging hoppers.

Extending transversely beneath the longitudinally sloping floors 17 arebeams 01' bafile plates 22, Figure 3, which are of generally channelshape with vertically disposed webs 23, upper inclined flanges 24underlying the sloping floors 17 and secured thereto, and lower marginalflanges 24a. Secured to the ends of the baflle plates 22 are gussetmembers 25 which are riveted thereto at as and flanged at 27 to underliethe outer side sloping floors 18 and riveted thereto at 23.

The baflie plates 22 are spaced lengthwise of the car from each otherand extending between them are doors 29-29 arranged in V-shaped relationwhen in closed position. Each pair of doors 29-29 is pivotally mountedon a hinge rod 30 which extends through the baffle plates 22 at the endsof the hoppers and through bearing members 31, the latter being disposedon the outer side of the respective bafile plate 22. Each door 29extends upwardly at an incline and, when in closed position, the innerdoor of each pair of doors 29-29 abuts the adjacent marginal flange 13of the center sill 10 and the companion doors abut the lower flanges 20of angle members 13'.

Each door 29, Figure 6, on its underside is reinforced by longitudinallyextending beam members 32 and 33, the latter being disposed adjacent thefront or swinging edge of the door and the member 32 adjacent the hingeedge. Cooperating with the beam 32 are a plurality of hinge members 34which consist of plates bent to present looped sections 35, Figure 7,which embrace the hinge rod 30. The hinge members 34 on one of the doors29 intercalate with the corresponding hinge members 34 of the companiondoor 29 thus forming a continuous piano type of hinge structure.

The doors 29-29 at each end have upwardly extending flanges 36 and insubstantial alignment with said flanges there are provided dependingwalls 37 on the underside. Each wall 37 is preferably one of the flangesof an angleshaped bracket 38 which is secured to the: door beams 32 and33 by rivets 39, and outwardly of each flange 37 there is provided ahinge strap 40 which overlies the depending wall 37 and is rivetedthereto at 41. The outer ends of the straps 40 are deflected outwardlyat 40a to provide a jawlike structure for receiving the end of a doorsupporting link 42. The door supporting link 42 is pivoted to the doorat 43 and extendsupwardly for pivotal connection with an operating armassembly, 44, Figure 8.

The operating arm assembly 44 is disposed at each end of each door 29and is pivoted at one end on a pivot pin 45, Figures 3 and 4, on afulcrum bracket 46, and at the opposite end connects with an eye bolt 47which is threaded into a clevis 47 connected to flexible connections 48,Figures 2A and 2B, for the center doors, and 49 for the side doors, aswill be described. Each operating arm assembly '44, Figure 8, preferablyincludes an angle-shaped body section 50 having one flange i verticallydisposed and having secured thereto a hinge block 52 at the hinge end ofthe assembly for receiving the pivot pin 45. The body section 50 of theoperating arm assembly 44 is reinforced by a member 53, Figures and 11,including a plate-like portion 54 having three integrally formed bosses55 apertured to receive rivets 56 whereby the said member is secured tothe vertical flange 51 as shown in Figures 8 and 9. The bosses 55operate to space the plate portion 54 from the flange 51 a sufficientdistance to receive the upper portion of link 42 and the eye bolt 47.The intermediate boss 55 forms the pivotal support for the link 42.

The operating arm assemblies 44 in addition to their function as doorlifting arms also operate as auxiliary baffling elements to bridge thespace intermediate the ends of the doors 29 and the main baffle plates22 to prevent flow of lading between them and the ends of the doors.

Each sloping floor 17 is extended beyond the associated baffle plate 22for an appreciable distance beyond the operating arm assembly 44 asshown in Figure 4 and thence downwardly vertically to present an endwall 57 reinforced at the lower margin by an angle member 58 bent toconform substantially to the shape of the V-shaped hopper formed by thedoors when in closed position. The extension of each sloping floor 17and depending end wall 57 thus form a housing section which effectivelyprotects the operating arm assembly 44 therebelow and related doorconnections 48 and 49. i

The fulcrum bracket 46 supports a pair of operating arm assemblies 44.It includes a base wall 46, Figure 3, overlying the web 23 of the bafileplate 22 and is secured thereto by rivets 59 which also extend throughthe bearing member 31 lying on the outer side of the bafile, as shown inFigure 4. The fulcrum bracket 46 is formed at its lower end with abearing portion 60 which encircles the hinge rod 30. The fulcrum bracket46 is thus supported directly by the baffle plate 22 and by the hingerod 30. The fulcrum bracket 46 includes a centrally disposed web 61extending lengthwise of the hinge rod 30 and centrally thereof and oneach side of said web adjacent the upper part thereof there are lugs 62spaced from the base wall 46 a sufficient distance to accommodate thehinge block 52 therebetween. The pivot pins 45 extend through the lugs62 and base wall 46. In order to provide adequate support for the pivotpins 45 and permit ready removal and insertion thereof from the rear ofthe baflie plate 22, elongated hubs 63, Figure 4, which encircle thepivot pins 45 are extended through the baffle plate 22. The pivot pins45 are maintained against axial displacement by means of rivets 64 whichextend through thepivot pins 45 and hubs 63.

The center opening doors are arranged to operate in unison by means of acentrallytdisposed winding shaft 65 journalled within the center sill 10and having sheaves 66 non-rotatably mounted thereon on which theflexible connections 48 wind. The-operation of the shaft 65 may beeffected by any suitable mechanism (not shown) 7 which preferablyconsists of worm and gear arrangement rotatable by a cross-shaft.

Similarly the side opening doors are independently operated by windingshafts 67 journalled at one end in bearings 68 and at the opposite endjournalled in a worm and gear housing assemblies indicatedconventionally at 69. The bearing 68 and housing 69 are carried by theside gusset plates 25. Winding sheaves 70 are non-rotatably mounted onshafts 67 and extending between each set of sheaves and relatedoperating arm assembly 44 are flexible connections 49.

The operation of the mechanism will be readily understood by referenceto Figures 2A and 213 wherein the right-hand side opening door isindicated in open position and the left-hand side door is shown inclosed position. It will be understood that the operation of the centeropening doors is identical with the operation of the side doors exceptthat the pair of facing center opening doors is operated in unison.

In Figure 12 there is shown a modificationof the mechanismsinterconnecting the flexible connections 48 and 49 and the doors 29.Lever arms 7171 are pivoted at 45 and are provided with longitudinallyextendingrslots 72"i'2 for receiving the ends of rods 7373 which aresecured to and project from the beam members 3333 at each end. The outerends of the lever arms 7171 have the flexible connections 48-49connected thereto in the manner described previously for the leverassemblies 44. When the lever arms 7171 are swung upwardly about thepivots 45, the rods 73 slide inwardly and at the same time move upwardlywith the doors 29 to close the same.

What is claimed as new is: g

1. In a dump car having a discharge opening and a door for closing thesame pivotally mounted adjacent one side thereof, an operating mechanismfor raising and lowering the door including a lever pivotally mounted atone end on thecar at a location spaced from the pivotal axis of the doorand extending outwardly therefrom towards the swinging edge of the door,means operatively interconnecting said door and said lever, means forraising and lowering said lever including a rotatable shaft disposedadjacent the swinging edge of the door, and a flexible connectionbetween the shaft and lever, said lever supportingly engaging the doorthroughout its range of movement.

2. In a dump car having a discharge opening and a door for closing thesame pivotally mounted adjacent one side thereof, an operating mechanismfor raising and lowering the door including a lever pivotally mounted atone end on the car at a location spaced from the pivotal axis of thedoor'and extending outwardly therefrom towards the swinging edge of thedoor, means for raising and lowering said lever including a rotatableshaft disposed adjacent the swinging edge of the door, a flexibleconnection between the shaft and lever, and a link pivoted at one end tothe lever and at the opposite end connected to the door.

3. In a dump car having a discharge opening and a door for closing thesame pivotally mounted adjacent one side thereof, said door beingswingable to an inclined closed position and swingable downwardly to aninclined opened position; an operating mechanism for raising andlowering said door including a pivotally'mounted arm at each end of thedoor adjacent the pivotal axis thereof and extending toward the swingingedge thereof, a rotatable shaft extending along the swinging edge of thedoor, and flexible connections extending between each arm and the shaftand adapted to be wound on the latter upon rotation thereof; and aconnection between each arm and the door including a link pivoted at oneend to the door and at the opposite end to the arm.

4. In a car of the character described, the combination with side wallsand a center sill'comprising side walls and an open bottom and V-shapedhoppers on opposite sides of the center sill with side and center doorshinged adjacent the nadir of the hopper, the center doors being movablein unison, of an operating shaft. rotatably mounted between said wallsof said center sill, lever arms pivoted at each end of the doors abovethe lower portion of the hopper and adjacent the pivotal axis of saiddoors and extending toward the swinging edges thereof,

a flexible connection extending between the opposite end of each leverarm and the operating shaft, and a link pivoted at one end to each armintermediate its fulcrum pivot and the flexible connection and pivotallyconnected at the opposite end with one of said doors, said levers beingraised and lowered by rotation of said operating shaft.

5. In a dump car having a V-shaped hopper including a pair of doorshinged adjacent the nadir of the hopper and adapted to assume aninclined closed position and movable to a downwardly inclined openposition, a hinge rod on which said pair of doors is pivotally mounted,a beam of appreciabledepth extending transversely along each end of thedoors and forming a support for said hinge rod, a hopper end wallhavinga portion spaced from the beam and overlying said doors of each end, abracket disposed between said end wall and beam and lying above saidhinge rod, a lever for each door pivoted on said bracket, each leverextending outwardly towards the swinging edge of the respective door,means operatively interconnecting each lever and its respective door, ashaft rotatably mounted adjacent the swinging edge of each door, and aflexible connection between each shaft and its lever, each leverintermediate its ends supportingly engaging its door.

6. In a dump car having a discharge opening and a pair of doors arrangedin V-shaped relation for closing the opening, a rod hingedly mountingsaid doors adjacent the nadir of the hopper, said doors in closedposition extending upwardly at an incline from their pivotal axis andbeing movable downwardly to an inclined opened position, a beamextending transversely at each end of the doors and forming a supportfor each end of the rod, a hopper end wall having a portion overlyingthe doors at each end and spaced from the transversely extending beam,means for raising the doors including a lever disposed at the end ofeach door between the end wall and transverse beam and pivoted on thelatter and extending towards the swinging edge of its door. a rotatableoperating shaft mounted adjacent the swinging edge of each door, aflexible connection between the outer ends of the levers and the relatedoperating shaft; and link connections between each door and its levers.

7. In a car of the character described, longitudinally extending sidewalls and a center sill extending centrally between said walls, aV-shaped hopper disposed on each side of the center sill in transverselyaligned relation and including a pair of doors hinged adjacent the nadirof the V-shaped hopper and extending upwardly at an angle from the hingeaxis when in closed position, said doors being movable to a downwardlyinclined opened position, transversely extending beams at the ends ofthe doors constituting baflle plates to prevent overflow of lading atthe ends of the hoppers, hopper end walls conforming substantially tothe shapes of the V-shaped hoppers and having portions spaced inwardlyfrom the baffle plates, operating arms positioned in the spaces betweensaid baffle plates and end walls and pivotally mounted on axes disposedabove the door pivotal axes, each arm extending outwardly towards thefree edge of the respective door, rotatable shafts extending lengthwiseof the doors beyond the swinging edges thereof, flexible connectionsbetween the arms and shafts, and link connections between the doors andarms whereby the arms and associated doors move in unison.

8. In a car of the character described, a V-shaped hopper with doorshinged adjacent the nadir of the hopper, longitudinally sloping floorsinclined in the direction of the hinge axis of the doors for directinglading to the hopper, said sloping floors overlying the ends of thedoors for an appreciable distance and deflected downwardly to presentend walls spaced inwardly from the ends of the doors to provide housingsat the ends of the hopper; raising mechanisms disposed in the saidhousings, each including lever arms pivotally mounted adjacent and abovethe hinge axis of the doors and extending toward the swinging edgesthereof, and links extending between the lever arms'and doors; windingshafts adjacent the swinging ends of the levers, and flexibleconnections extending between the levers and the shafts for raising andlowering the levers and doors by rotation of the shafts.

9. In a car of the character described, a V-shaped hopper with doorshinged adjacent the nadir of the V, said doors extending. upwardlyat anangle from the hinge axis when in closed position and swingable to adownwardly inclined open position, transversely extending beams at theends of the doors, a hinge rod carried by said beams and constituting ahinge support for said doors; means for raising and lowering said doorsincluding lever arms pivotally mounted at one end on the transversebeams and mechanism cooperating with the levers for raising and loweringthem. said levers having an intermediately disposed connection with thedoors; and brackets for supporting the fulcrum ends of the levers, saidbrackets being secured to the transverse beam members and havingapertured portions encircling said hinge rod.

10. In a dump car having a discharge opening and a door for closing thesame pivotally mounted adjacent one side thereof, a transverselyextending beam adjacent the end of the door and spaced outwardlytherefrom, a hinge rod for supporting the door carried by said beam, anoperating mechanism for raising and lowering the door including a leverconnected to the door and pivotally mounted at one end on the transversebeam about an axis spaced above the pivotal axis of the door and.extending outwardly therefrom towards the swinging edge of the door, ashaft adjacent the swinging edge of the door, and a flexible connectionbetween the shaft and lever, said lever being of angle shape with oneflange lying adjacent said end of the door and having the adjacentflange bridging the space between it and the transverse beam to form abaflie for restricting overflow of lading between said door and beam.

11. In a dump car having a discharge opening and a door for closing thesame pivotally mounted adjacent one side thereof, said door beinginclined upwardly from its hinge axis in closed position, means forraising and lowering the door including a lever pivotally mounted at oneend on an axis disposed above the hinge axis of the door, a shaftadjacent the swinging edge of the door, a flexible connection betweenthe shaft and lever for raising and lowering the lever by rotation ofthe shaft, a link between the door and lever connected to the latterintermediate its pivot and flexible connection, and means for connectingthe link to the lever including a plate member secured to the leverhaving an integrally formed boss forming the pivotal support for thelink.

12. In a dump car having a discharge opening and a door for closing thesame pivotally mounted adjacent one side thereof, said door beinginclined upwardly from its hinge axis in closed position, means forraising and lowering the door including a lever pivotally mounted at oneend on an axis disposed above the hinge axis of the door, a shaftadjacent the swinging edge of the door, a flexible connection betweenthe shaft and lever for raising and lowering the lever and door byrotation of the shaft, a link pivoted to the door and lever, and meansfor connecting the link to the lever including a plate member secured tothe lever, said plate member having a plurality of integrally formedbosses spacing the plate from the lever to accommodate the link andflexible connection therebetween, said bosses having securing rivetsextending therethrough and one of said bosses forming the pivotalsupport for the link.

13. In a dump car having a discharge opening and a door for closing thesame pivotally mounted adjacent one side thereof, said door beinginclined upwardly from its hinge axis in closed position, means forraising and lowering the door including a lever pivotally mounted at oneendon an axis disposed above the hinge axis of the door, a shaftadjacent the swinging edge of the door, a flexible connection betweenthe shaft and lever for raising and lowering the lever and door byrotation of the shaft, a link pivoted to the door and lever, means forconnecting the link to the lever including a plate member secured to thelever, said plate member having a plurality of integrally formed bossesspacing the plate from the lever to accommodate the link and flexibleconnection therebetween, said bosses having securing rivets extendingtherethrough and one of said bosses forming the pivotal support for thelink, and another of said bosses forming a pivotal support for one endof said flexible connection.

14. In a dump car having a V-shaped hopper including a pair of doorshinged adjacent the nadir of the hopper and adapted to assume upwardlyinclined closed positions and movable to downwardly inclined openedpositions,

and operating mechanism for raising and lowering said doors including anarm pivotally mounted on said car at each end of each door adjacent thepivot axis thereof, a i 7 connection between each arm and the respectiveend of g each door, and raising and lowering means connected to saidarms.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

